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United Kingdom

Facts

Background: The United Kingdom has historically played a leading role in developing parliamentary democracy and in advancing literature and science. At its zenith in the 19th century, the British Empire stretched over one-fourth of the earth's surface. The first half of the 20th century saw the UK's strength seriously depleted in two world wars and the Irish republic withdraw from the union. The second half witnessed the dismantling of the Empire and the UK rebuilding itself into a modern and prosperous European nation. As one of five permanent members of the UN Security Council, a founding member of NATO, and of the Commonwealth, the UK pursues a global approach to foreign policy. The UK is also an active member of the EU, although it chose to remain outside the Economic and Monetary Union. The Scottish Parliament, the National Assembly for Wales, and the Northern Ireland Assembly were established in 1999. The latter was suspended until May 2007 due to wrangling over the peace process, but devolution was fully completed in March 2010.Location: Western Europe, islands - including the northern one-sixth of the island of Ireland - between the North Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea; northwest of FranceArea land: 241,930 sq kmArea water: 1,680 sq kmCoastline: 12,429 kmCountry name conventional long form: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and WalesCountry name conventional short form: United KingdomCountry name former: United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland; note - Great Britain includes England, Scotland, and WalesPopulation: 62,698,362 (July 2011 est.)Age structure: 0-14 years: 17.3% (male 5,575,119/female 5,301,301); 15-64 years: 66.2% (male 20,979,401/female 20,500,913); 65 years and over: 16.5% (male 4,564,375/female 5,777,253) (2011 est.);Population growth rate: 0.557% (2011 est.)Birth rate: 12.29 births/1,000 population (2011 est.)Death rate: 9.33 deaths/1,000 population (July 2011 est.)Net migration rate: 2.6 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2011 est.)Sex ratio: at birth: 1.052 male(s)/female; under 15 years: 1.05 male(s)/female; 15-64 years: 1.03 male(s)/female; 65 years and over: 0.76 male(s)/female; total population: 0.98 male(s)/female (2011 est.);Infant mortality rate: total: 4.62 deaths/1,000 live births; male: 5.07 deaths/1,000 live births; female: 4.15 deaths/1,000 live births (2011 est.);Life expectancy at birth: total population: 80.05 years; male: 77.95 years; female: 82.25 years (2011 est.);Total fertility rate: 1.91 children born/woman (2011 est.);HIV/AIDS - adult prevalence rate: 0.2% (2009 est.);HIV/AIDS - people living with HIV/AIDS: 85,000 (2009 est.);HIV/AIDS - deaths: fewer than 1,000 (2009 est.);Nationality: noun: Briton(s), British (collective plural); adjective: British;Ethnic groups: white (of which English 83.6%, Scottish 8.6%, Welsh 4.9%, Northern Irish 2.9%) 92.1%, black 2%, Indian 1.8%, Pakistani 1.3%, mixed 1.2%, other 1.6% (2001 census);Religions: Christian (Anglican, Roman Catholic, Presbyterian, Methodist) 71.6%, Muslim 2.7%, Hindu 1%, other 1.6%, unspecified or none 23.1% (2001 census);Languages: English;

note: the following are recognized regional languages: Scots (about 30% of the population of Scotland), Scottish Gaelic (about 60,000 in Scotland), Welsh (about 20% of the population of Wales), Irish (about 10% of the population of Northern Ireland), Cornish (some 2,000 to 3,000 in Cornwall)

United Kingdom in the News

During a manhunt for four men seen on security cameras at the scenes of Thursday’s bungled bombing attacks on London’s public-transport system, police shot and killed a man in an Underground station Friday, who it turned out had nothing to do with the bombings.

On Oct. 6, the European Commission agreed to begin negotiations with Turkey on membership in the European Union. The international press responds to the European Commission’s decision to open the door to Turkey’s accession.